Seifer sat studying the footage from the cctv cameras, rage building with each passing minute. After reading the numerous reports from the incompetent guards that were all bereft of any really useful insight he had resorted to sitting and watching the footage to try find the answers he sought. He had sat through hours of film due to the inaccuracies of his reports and his mood darkened with each moment he wasted.

"Bloody imbeciles" he muttered to himself as he watched.

He took a small box from his pocket. It contained cigarettes. Seifer was not usually much of a smoker but when he really got stressed or vexed he tended to resort to one of two options to alleviate their burden. Either he would fight or train and hack some poor creature to death. This was his favourite but was not currently a viable option as he had work to do, so he resorted to option two, smoking.

He took a cigarette out of the packet, tapped it on the case, a habit he did for no apparent reason, then placed it in his mouth and lit it. He took a long drag before placing the packet on the desk. He exhaled a cloud of smoke and went back to staring at the screen. He had finally located the footage he wanted. He watched it intently then rewound the footage and watched it again to ensure he didn't miss anything.

He was watching two guards patrolling the corridor where chickenwuss, messenger girl and instructor Trepe had been held. Nothing too unusual until one of the guards stopped his march down the corridor and rapped on the door of the cell with the butt of his assault rifle. Seconds rolled on and the guard slid the metal to the side so he could peer into the cell. After taking a quick look he closed the visor and unlocked the door. He held his gun in a firing position and entered the room. There was a quick flash of light and then within a minute the prisoners came running out of the cell.

Seifer knew from the reports he'd read that the flash of light was from the guard firing his gun as he was ambushed by 'the blond kid with the tattoo on his face'

Seifer slammed his fist on to the desk in a brief flash of fury. He couldn't believe how easy it was for the prisoners to escape. He took another drag from his cigarette before extinguishing it in the nearby ashtray. He continued to observe, intrigued to see what the three former captives did next. Zell sprinting down the corridor to attack the only other guard on the floor. He easily dispatched the guard who slumped to the floor.

Seifer lit another cigarette as he watched the SeeD's climb the various floors. The footage was like the backdrop of an old cartoon where the same thing passed by over and over again as the character ran. They were getting near the top now and Seifer became wide eyed with curiosity. This was what he was waiting for. Seeing how they freed his bitter rival. He knew Squall hadn't freed himself and he was eager to see how he got out of the room. Despite his eagerness to find out he found himself in need of the toilet and so Seifer paused the video just before the SeeD's entered the room.

After a brief interruption and with his bladder relieved he sat back at the desk. He lit another cigarette and smiled as he remembered Squalls bloody broken body. Seifer had let out years of immense frustration on his rival as he beat and tortured him, near as dammit to death. The pain etched on his face was engrained in Seifer's mind.

He resumed the video and his brow knitted in concentration as he watched. The moment the door opened Quistis saw him on the wall. She immediately moved towards him and Zell flew forward and took out the guard. Seifer rewinded the footage two or three times. It was only a couple of seconds between the door opening and the guards head hitting the deck after a blow from Zell. Seifer had to be honest when he was watching; not many would have had time to react, Seifer wondered if he was one of them.

He let the film play. He rejoiced as he watched Squall spasm from the last of the electric shocks before Zell freed him. He saw him fall from the wall as his shackles sprung open. He was loving every second. Each one that passed filled him with a sense of pride, spreading a warmth throughout his body. His stupid rival suffering at his orders. The pain and anguish Seifer had caused, entirely justified in his mind. Who was he to ruin his romantic dream? The sheer audacity. When he saw Quistis' face distorted in distress and anguish over his fallen rival, that was just the pièce de résistance. Seifer was loving the footage. Watching it back he was feeling euphoric, his endorphins racing around his body giving him that buzz. A sadistic high. It was almost sexual.

He watched them fuss over him, fearing the worse. Seifer was transfixed by his pain and her heartbroken torment. Revelling in this near perfect moment he had created, he was becoming lost to the world of human rationality. The seconds rolled by, swiftly evolving into minutes. Seifer rode the crest of this sadistic wave and enjoyed every moment. He watched the events unfurl up to the point the group were leaving the room, fleeing for their lives. Seifer was unsatisfied, his perverted high was diminishing, the effects fading and he was not ready to come down. Not yet. He rewound the tape and watched it all over again, just to prolong that feeling.

He leaned back into his chair and casually lit another cigarette. He took one big drag, gave a large exhale and then closed his eyes. The familiar taste of the cigarette lingered on his tongue and the roof of his mouth. He was in a state of sheer bliss. He didn't bother taking another drag, just letting it wilt, the ash accumulating before falling to the floor. He let it burn out and then discarded it.

He stayed there for a few minutes, unmoving, letting the rush of rapture sweep through his body. When he was finally satisfied he got back to his task at hand. He refocused and set his eyes on the screen once more. While he detested watching the three SeeD's battle to victory after victory against the guards whom had every advantage, he did take consolation from seeing Squall incapacitated in a heap where he had been left. He quickly grew tired of watching the guards fail to prevent the escapees progress to freedom. He wondered if they were there truly incompetent or if he had perhaps underestimated his former instructor and comrades. His ego insisted it was the former.

Seifer was reaching the end of the tape and his previous euphoria seemed to be a long time ago, replaced by frustration. His jaw clenched as he counted every mistake; an obvious swipe of the blade, easily predictable and ultimately avoidable. A slight hesitation before firing the shot. Breaking formation to attack one at a time, surrendering their advantage. His hand formed a fist and he squeezed tight, his hand shaking from the tension. Oh how he wished he'd been there in that moment, he would have struck them down where they stood. He knew from his time in Balamb garden that none of them could defeat him in combat; Zell too quick to let emotion get the better of him. Quistis was a competent fighter but was only dangerous from range. The pitfalls of the whip. Seifer knew that once he had evaded the initial fury of the snap, he could close the distance and impose his will on the fight. Selphie was admittedly a slight unknown variable. He had never battled her but felt her small frame and limited range of her nunchucks made her an easy target and a minimal threat.

He continued watching and felt the rage building, simmering and waiting to overflow. He had held his rage in as long as he could and could restrain it no more. He picked up the mug on the desk and threw it across the room, uttering a primal scream as he did so. The raw coarse sound was like a plea to the old gods of war. The mug shattered into multiple pieces upon impact, creating porcelain rain as it descended down. Mercy was granted to him as the footage finally ended. Now he had seen first hand what happened he was ready to begin the next phase of his plan. He grabbed Hyperion, sheathed it, put on his trench coat and exited the room with a feral fervour in his eyes. It was time to hunt.